Device for concentrating the rays of the sun.



H. D. SMELSER. DEVICE FOR CONGENTBATING THE RAYS OF THE SUN.

APPLIOATIOK FILED APR. 16, 1914. 1', 1 1 1 ,239

Patented Sept. 22,1914.

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311'ue1-z4mv 11. Z Maker H. 1). SMELSER. DEVICE FOR OONCENTRATING THE RAYS OF THE SUN.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16, 1914.

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4 I APPLICATION FILED APR.16, 1914.

Patented Sept. 22, 19M

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To all whom it may'conce'm; v I Be it lmown that l, -HENRY D. Smsmi, c, citizen of the United States, residing at estPleins, inthe county of Howell and new, sud useful Improvements in Devices for Concentrating the Rays of the Sun; end 1 doideolsre the following to he a full, clear,

, and exact description of the. invention, such 4 Will ensble others skilled in the art to which it eppertains tomake and use the s am? 7 I :3 a I I Ally invention relates to improvements in devices for reflecting and concentrating the rays projected firom'the sun and has, for its rims-ivy, ogbyect to provide a plurality of revectors so, positioned as to reflect and concentrete the rpys of sun to a single oiut and also having meanswhereby the irection, iuwhich said rays are reflected, may be varied; i o

- In clarifying out the above end, I provide e number of reflectors which are'mounted for both vertical and lateral swinging movement, means for simulteneously ed'usting all of said reflectors vertically, and independeet means for simultaneously adjusting said reflectors in. a lateral plane, "-A secondary object of the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of the operating means Still another object of the invention is to 7 provide a device which will be simple,

Strong and durable, and which will efiectuelly perform the function for which it is designed. 7 u

With the above objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction and combination herein described and claimed and shown in the drawings wherein: c v

Figure l is a plan view of my invention showing the manner in which the reflectors may be edjustedg'l ig. 2 is a verticaltrsnsverse section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig.

" 1; Fig; 3 is'a' central vertical longitudiniil' section through the entire device; Fig, 4 is an elevation of one of the reflectors supporti log frames and its reflector, showing more particularly the construction of these parts; Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. d; Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on r the line 6 -6 of Fig. 4; Fig 7 is a detail vertic'ul section on the line 7--7.of Fig. 5; end

I V specification of- Eetters Patent. j: Application filed s in is, 191s.

I point, the operating meansfor State of .Missouri, have invented certain 1 shownmy o number of upright supporting, frames 21,

v cire- [horizonta ,2, a number of reflectors l mouiited within Eeriel No. 332,284.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic top p'lauview showing the manner in whichthe reflectors concentrate the rays of light to at single 0 said reflectors being eliminated for the sake of cleurness.

In the accompanying invention as comprising a rising rigidly therefrom, a plurelit fleotor su porting frames 3 mounted for swinging movement mthe frames said frames 3 for vertical swingingmovemerit, means for simultaneously efiecting the horizontal swinging movement or" said reflector supporting frames, and independent means for simultaneously efiecting the vertlcsl swinging movement of said refiectors. 1 h

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drawings, l have b se s The frames 2 may be of any suiteble construction and are here shown as com rising upper and lower transverse bars 5 and 6,respectively, which are disposed between upright standards 7, the latter constituting the sides of the frames. As clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the frames 2 ere spaced longitudinally upon the base 1, the distance be-' tween said frames being sufiicient to allow the rays, reflected from the reflectors i, to pass upwardly over the transverse bars 5.

'- In the present illustration, 1 have shown but three of the frames 2 audthree reflectors mounted in each frame. It will be evident, however, that I need. not be limited to the number of frames or the number of reflectors employed.

The frames 3 are preferably of rectangular formation and are spaced equi-distontly withinjthe frames 2, said frames 3 being mounted upon vertical pivots 8 which project from the upper and lower cross bars of said frames 8 throughthe upper and lower cross bars of'the frames 2.

As clearly shownin the various figures of the drawings, the reflectors 41 are pivoted to swing: vertically within the frames 3, transversely extending pivot studs 9, projecting rigidly from the frames of the reflectors and jourualed into the upright bars of the frames 3, being preferably employed for this purpose; v

For the purpose of turning all of the frames 3 simultaneously upon their pivots 8,1 provide a revolubly mounted drum 10,

Q m ets a aving' its free ends projecting longitudinally therefrom and passlng-around guide pulleys 11, is a main operating cable 12, said cable having supplemental cables 13' at suitable intervals, said cables 13 extending longitudinally of the base 1 and being secured by means of clamps 14' to certain of theu'pr'ight'bars of the mirror supporting frames 3. As clearly shown in Fig.'- 1, a pulley 11 is positioned to each end of a longitudinal row of reflectors, said pulleys being supported in any suitable manner as by upstanding bars 15 which extend transversely across the base 1. The cable 12 extends through the pulleys-11 to the opposite side of the machine .and here has its free ends united as shown at 16. By this arrangement of parts it will be seen that when the drum 10 1s rotated by means of a, shaft 17 or other suitable means, the cable 12 to one side of the drum, will be wound thereon, while the portion of the cable to the opposite side of the drum, will be allowed to move outwardly,- this movement on the part of the cable'l2 actuating the cables 13 in such a manner as to simultaneously "rock all of the frames 3 around their pivots 8. Similar operating means is provided for the purpose of swinging the reflectors 4 in vertical planes, said operating means comprising a drum 10', a main operating cable 12, passing around the pulleys 11' and having a number of longitudinal branch cables 13' secured thereto at suitable intervals, said cables 13 being secured to the lower edges of the reflectors 4 by meansof clamps 14'. Thus, it will be seen that when the shaftof the drum 10' is rotated, the reflectors 4 will be rocked simultaneously in vertical lanes.

By the provision of the 0 amps 14 and 14, the angular relation of the frames 3- with the cables 13 and that of the reflectors 4 with the cables 13, may be varied at will, this provision being made in order that said reflectors may be properly positioned for causing the light reflected therefrom, to be concentrated at a single point (see Fig. 8). In this figure, the rays of light, coming from the sun or other suitable source, are considered as falling directly in vertical lines, or in other words, at right angles to the upper face of the base 1. If it becomes necessary to shift the point at which the rays of light are concentrated, this may be easily done through the action of the drums 1O andlO, as before described.

The motive power, for driving the drums 10 and 10' may be in any suitable form, but I prefer to employ an electric motor (not shown), and gearing (not shown) between said motor and said shafts said gearing being so arranged as to cause the shafts of the drums to travel at slower'speeds than the shaft of the motor.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with: the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I-have roduced a comparatively simple, yet higl lyefficient -machine which Wlll readily perform the function for' which it is designed.

The rays, reflected from the various reflectors 4, will, of course, generate an extremely high -'ter'nperature at the point to which they are concentrated. The heat thus generated, may be transformed into motive power or otherwise employed, its disposi f tion forming tion. a

I have described my invention with considerable minuteness as to details, but'I-dono part of the present inv t;

not wish to be limited thereto other than a 1 set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A solar Y 90 device comprismg a base, a

number of longitudinal rows of reflector supporting frames pivotally mounted upon said base upon vertical axes, a numberof reflectors pivotally supported in said frames upon horizontalaxes, a air of 'des at each end of each of sai rows 0 frames, a pair of drums spaced laterally from one of the outermost of said rows, endless cables completely encircling said rows'of frames, sai'd'cables being passed through said guides and wound anumber of times around said drums, branch cables extending longitudinally of said longitudinal rows of frames and -secured to the lower ends of said reflectors, said branch cables being en" gaged with certain of said guides and cured to one of said endless cablesand nallyof the rows' of frames and secured to the sides of said frames, the ends of other branch cables extending longitudisaid last mentioned branch cables being engaged with certain of the remaining guides "and secured to the other endless cable.

2; A solar device comprising a base, a number of longitudinal rows of reflector otally supported in said frames upon orizontal pivots, clamps on one end of each of said reflectors, a pair of guides at each end of each of said rows of frames, a pair supporting frames pivotally supported on said base upon vertical axes, clamps on one ,SldG of each of said frames, reflectors ivnally of saidrows and secured within the 3 clamps on said frames, said branch cables In 1 testimony whereof I have hereunto being engaged with certain of said guides, set my hand in presence of two subscribmg and other branch cables extending lon Witnesses;

tudinally of said rows and secured in t e HENRY D. SMELSER. i clamps on said reflectors said last mentioned Witnesses:

branch cables being engaged with certain HENRY M. GO'IT,

of the remaining guides. WILLIAM S. MORGAN. 

